The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-24

found one who knew that the bird was carrier
and had been sent out on a race. message was
accordingly sent TO Starr. New York as re-
quested the tag. Starr. New York is lit
tie woman who Gevotes herself to the interests
OF pigeon flying and keeps the run of about all
the birds in this coun try. To find her one has
10 climb four dark fights TO the top of rickety
Old building at the corner of Cortlandt and
Washington streets. As she is an enthusiast
upon the subject visitors who want to learn any
thing about pigeons find ready welcome and no
little information. All pigeon flyers, and their
number s increasing every year send her &C.
counts of their birds. and IN the event or a race
the birds themselves sometimes sent also 10 be
registered But, rule she is notified as soon
as bird is Matched. and she makes such entriesin
her ponderous record books as fix that birds
identity until he dies Of old age, or a shot from
a careless hunter When she received word
that 05G3 had been picked up dead. she referred
to her books. and found that one of the most
remarkable birds in the land had been lost To
be sure, all the pigeon flyers had given this bird
up months ago. for he had not been heard Of
since last October. but no one knew what be-
came of him. The bird owned by William
Bennert. of Newark, n. j., one of the centers
OF pigeon flying interest. The bird had not
been named. Ii was blue male. and was
Matched insthe spring of 1856 1t had been IN
three races, in of which it was among the
six that made the best record TO Newark ard
the feat was second only to the best Young fly
bird in America The best record was made by
Philadelphia pigeons in 1883. In the case Of
0563 the start was made at Liberty. Va. from
which place to Newark it is 36s miles. airline
The birds were liberated at twenty Ave minutes
past 6 IN the morning OF Oct ], 1856 and the
first bird report its loft in Newark arrived at
fourteen minutes past p. NJ of the same day.
A few minutes later e563 came IN, and bis aver
age speed for the journey was 1,0y9 yards
minute About q week later this bird, with
three others was taken TO Morgantown n c.,
521 miles from home None of them were
heard from until Mrs. Starr received the report
of the death of 0363.
Mrs. Starr thinks that pigeon flying has come
to be a standard centemens sport IN America.
Al present the amusement is free from all OBJ
sectlonabe features, and as each year passes
improvements are made 10 the method or keep
Ing the records of the BIRDS. New DOCKS nav3
been opened this spring which. in few years,
will be of great value TO lovers OF the sport for
they will contain the mnutest details OF all
birds that live long enough to make record In
a race. But the most important cnange this
season is in the device for marking the birds. 1t
was formerly done by marking the feathers and
attaching tag but henceforth light seamless
band of silver plated nickel win be put around
the birds leg, every band sent out from Mrs
Stars headquarters having different numbe
inscribed on it. The bard is slipped
pigeons foot soon it is Matched. and SO
rapidly 90 the birds grow that in eight days the
band could neither be removed or a similar one
put on Yet it is never too small for the leg.
and in way does it act to the discomfort of
the flyer. Speaking of the general subject of
pigeon flying, Mrs. Starr SAID:
II think you would be surprise if You knew
how many people keep birds for the actual work
of carrying messages A great many men In all
the large cities take birds with them to their Of
fees, and at some period of the day, when they
have occasion to send word home. they attach
message to the pigeon and release it. But sup
pose that the principal incentive to the cutiva-
ton of message birds is for racing. Although
young BIRDS those Matched within the year,
often make good records. | am inclined to think
that a pigeon does not become fully mature I'M
til 1t is ten years old. They then seem to have
the maximum of sense and speed. In this coun-
try we have great deal of trouble with hunters.
If they only would let the birds alone we should
lose very few from any other causes. Pigeons
are on record that have won races at the age of
twenty. IN Belgium grea. deal of attention is
paid to flying and the birds are highly cult
waited. and live TO a considerable age"
us special training required to make good
race blrds9'
mo; but previous to each racing season the
birds are trained by making them practice short
distance fiys. They taken ten miles
from home and then liberated This kind of
training is just beginning in preparation for the
races of the coming season, of which there will
be many and good ones"